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Session 25 - Resourceful and Effective
After leaving the Arcane Academy, the heroes approached the Grand Pentacle Temple to report their success to Grand Priest Umi. A crowd of concerned citizens were gathered outside, parents terrified their children were murdered in a purge of the Academy, others frustrated with the New Church. Half-orc fighter Phryne took to the steps and pronounced that the students of the Academy were safe, the New Church gone from the campus. Her brave pronouncement earned her the adoration of the crowd who swarmed the Champion of Excelsion. The heroes went inside and Grand Priest Umi was brought to them. They floored the Grand Priest with news that students of the Academy had been casting necromancy spells, and that Archmaster Erenae was dead, Mari named her successor. Still, the group had satisfied their end of the deal, and Umi said they would provide them with their gold the following day. They convinced Umi that the best course of action would be to claim responsibility for stopping the undead, so the Grand Priest joined them on the steps to make an announcement to the crowd gathered. They escaped the mob of Phryne's admirers through a back entrance of the Grand Pentacle Temple. The next day an invitation arrived via courtier at the House of 1000 Pleasures that read: “The Champion of Excelsion Phryne and Hero of the People Aubrey are invited to the coronation of King Leon of Malex. You are allowed a retinue of no more than five people. Please arrive at the Palace-of-Unity at Sundown in one night’s time in appropriate attire.” Half-elf paladin Arindrake and half-elf druid Percival were nowhere to be found, so Phryne, half-elf bard Haeven and half-air spirit monk Aubrey decided they would attend to business around the city in preparation for the coronation. They started at the Palace-of-Unity, the ruling seat of the Port, and soon to be the throne of all of Malex. They found the island fortress under heavy New Church guard, with the Magisterial manor guarded and devoid of elves. Haeven conned his way inside, claiming they had a meeting with the Magistrate set up a month ago by Lady Aevara, showing her amulet. Inside they found the manor darkened and empty, save Magistrate Taelun of House Auvraeheal, who it turns out was the uncle of the murdered elven Champion Arlyn and slightly bitter about his nephews demise during the Championship. They discussed the coronation and his incarceration, and decided that freeing him would be advantageous in their dealings with Elysium. Haeven stepped aside and got a magical message to Lady Aevara, the Magistrate of Victor: "Lady Aevara, it's Haeven. Magistrate in Utopia is on lockdown by Apexion. Taelun safe. Are you? Where are you? Where is safe place for Taelun?" Connected magically, he heard back from Lady Aevara: "Under house arrest. Lord Cecilia not happy about robbery. On her way to coronation. Sent Veit with news. I'm safe. Get Taelun out. Pirates." They promised Taelun they would do what they could to help before leaving. Outside they found Grand Cardinal-General Ixis Wrenwrath flanked by two guards, waiting them, cheerily making sure they were attending the coronation, expressing that the prince ascendant was very interested in their adventures. Next they picked up their gold, then spent some time shopping in the markets. Phryne bought some potions and had a custom outfit commissioned for the coronation, while Haeven and Aubrey bought suitable clothing as well. Next they returned to the Arcane Academy to get more information and resources for dealing with the mounting problems. They found newly instated Archmaster Mari bickering with her partner, Master Diviner Rykxos, and Master Evoker Frieda, a cunning political oriented spellcaster. Rykxos believed it would be unsafe attending the coronation, especially since Mari was a half-elf, while Frieda didn't believe the New Church would act on anything at the coronation. They requested magical resources from Mari, who provided them with a spell scroll of charming person and promised she would have them magical rings made to protect them. They asked her about investigating tealstone in the Necropolis, however the New Church was occupying the facade of the Necropolis. Haeven proposed the Arcane Academy could partner with the goblins of the Felsic Combine for their mutual benefit, and Mari was both horrified and intrigued at the idea, asking for discretion in the matter. Mari invited them to a memorial for Archmaster Erenae as they planned to cremate and commit her ashes to the lake at the centre of the city, since they couldn't return her remains to Elysium. Haeven asked if she had any interest in doing so, and, without promising anything, said he would look into returning her remains. Mari had the remains resting with a gentle repose spell in the meantime. They returned to the Palace of 1000 Pleasures where they inquired after pirates. The Lady, proprietor of the establishment, explained that she mostly kept the riff raff out unless they paid up front, but that she believed the Pirate Queen would be docking the next day, working at taking advantage of folks desperate to escape Port-of-Utopia. Haeven and Phryne swore they would be making contact with her. Finally, the heroes went to the Felsic Combine foundry to meet with Master Gazek. They explained their tentative plan to leave Port-of-Utopia to go to Elysium, and the potential for partnering with the Arcane Academy. Gazek asked the trio to participate in a little demonstration. He had three mundane goblins stand in a warehouse space while one of them wore a backpack fitted with an orb of refined tealstone. Gazek had Haeven cast a "heat metal" spell on the orb once, then again, then again. At first the metal on the goblin's clothing began to burn bright hot, then began to melt onto their skin, causing them great pain, finally the very iron in their blood seemed to boil and the goblins collapsed, dead. This, Gazek explained, was the weapon Gazek wished to present to the Directorate in the efforts against the humans. Phryne was skeptical about the goblin's goals, claimed he could just as easily sell the weapons to the humans, and only cared about making money. Haeven seemed intent on bringing the matter to elven attention, but didn't want to press the matter on his companion. ACTIVE QUESTS -Make contact with the Pirate Queen -Attend the coronation of King Leon -Phryne is allowed to request a boon from the worshippers of Excelsion -Possibly help Magistrate Taelun escape Port-of-Utopia -Possibly return Archmaster Erenae's remains to Elysium -Haeven has informally promised to bring Master Gazek's information to Elysium, offered his half-elf network, been offered employment with the Combine -Gain an audience with the Elven Senate of Elysium to present what they know of the goblin activity (perhaps using Lady Aevara of Victor's amulet) -Investigate the encroaching dark forces from the East for the forest spirit (party thinks that the magical and destructive properties of tealstone, these goblin factories and Gazek from Gobelton have something to do with it) -Escort Edlee to Elysium